Eastfront 2nd Ed.
From: Columbia Games
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Eastfront 2nd Ed. is a new Board Game from Columbia Games.
Once again, I delve into the battles of the Eastern Front, this time through the brilliant design of the Columbia Games block game system. I have liked this line of games before, and going in I admit I had a bias.
From page #1: “EastFront simulates the largest military campaign in history: the ‘Eastern Front’ in World War II, 1941-45.”
Content: The game contains several red and black blocks that need to be labeled upon opening. My 2-year-old daughter had fun doing that with me because she likes stickers. Units include armor, infantry, mechanized infantry, cavalry and headquarters. There are also special units like the German Dora siege gun corps and shock troops.
It also includes two map boards that make up the playing space. Collectively they map the Eastern part of the European theater of WWII, including most of the Mediterranean countries, the Balkans, Hungary, Rumania, Poland, Western Soviet Union (as far north as Leningrad and as far east as Stalingrad), Yugoslavia, Greece, Albania, Turkey, parts of Prussia, parts of North Africa. It should be noted that some parts of the map are considered “out of play” because it is apparently part of another game (or expansion) called EuroFront. Bottom line – the maps put together are big. They took up my entire dinner table. The rulebook includes not only the rules to play but several scenarios that take place all over the map.
On the map are minor and major cities (some of which can be victory cities), towns, home cities, ports, fortresses, and resource centers. There are also rail roads, front boundaries, and zones/areas. All these come into play at varying degrees depending on the scenario. Cities and resource centers produce production points to be used to produce and repair units.
There are 9 scenarios supplied at the end of the book and each represent major operations along the Eastern Front, including Operation Typhoon, Operation Citadel, Operation Bagration, and Operation Edelweiss. There is a full set of game tables on the back cover of the rule book.
System: Of course, one of the key characteristics of Columbia Games block-games is the fog of war. The blocks add a Stratego-style mystery to the units movements, allowing you to hide your strength from your enemy until you are fully engaged. This also differentiates it from the counter-based games because in most cases, the counters only have two steps, where these have 3 or 4. This is the elegance of these games.
The game starts with one production phase, followed by two Fortnights. A Fortnight consists of two alternate player turns – one for the Axis and one for the Soviets. Turn sequence is as follows: Weather determination before the players turns, activate HQs, Movement phase, Combat phase, Blitz Movement, Blitz Combat, Supply phase.
The system is quite similar to other games of this line. Everything is directed by the headquarters. An activated headquarter can command anything within its command range. Units move by hexes, based on their movement, limited by weather and terrain. There are three weather conditions that would effect movement (and give units three different types of movement ratings) – dry, mud and snow. The common theme throughout all the Eastern Front games I have reviewed is the effects of weather. Of course, that was a major factor in the actual battle as well.
From page # 1: “One Player commands the Axis forces, the other commands the Soviets.”
Headquarters have a command value that depicts the range of command they have. This goes down as you use them or in combat and can be replenished in production. Each headquarter starts out with a range of 2 or 3 hexes (which seems short to me, but I guess its a larger scale map than what I have dealt with in the past). After performing the normal command functions, HQs can take on one of two roles – Mobile or Combat. Mobile allows them to make additional movement and deactivate before combat while Combat allows them to support their commanded troops with combat support and air power.
There is also a Supreme HQ. There is the OKH for the Axis and the STAVKA for the Soviets. These are more powerful then normal HQs, can move anything on the map, and can command units to move by rail or by sea. They can also order Air Strikes but can not provide combat support.
There are movement limitations as well as stacking limits while moving. Other movement options include Retreats and Strategic Movement. Once a unit moves, it may or may not be Engaged. A unit is Engaged when it lands on an enemy unit, at which point combat occurs. Terrain limits the amount you can engage at one time, which affects attack strategy considerably. On top of that, you have to be concerned about stacking limits which are defined by terrain as well.
Battles are fairly simple. There are three cases where battle must occur – new battles, air strikes and fortress battles. In a combat round, air strikes hit first, followed by defensive fire, then offensive fire. One round of combat occurs and that is it for that battle. You move on to the next. Each unit has a firepower of Single, Double or Triple, based on whether they are defending or attacking. The Firepower designates what you have to roll to get a hit – single means you must get a six on a die; double means you must get 5or 6 to get a hit and so on. The combat value of each unit tells you how many six-sided dice you roll. Modifiers to this number come from terrain (Double Defense), as well as fortification (Triple Defense). Each hit is a step down. Losses are applied immediately, so the defensive units have the advantage (unless there is an air strike). The strongest unit takes the hits first.
Blitz movement and Combat are special commands given by an HQ that cost two steps from the HQ. This allows for a second movement and combat round from that unit under that command. This is available to mostly Axis HQs simply because they are the side with the most 3-step HQs. Soviet units can use this option with few three step HQs or dedicate 2-step HQs to that particular command. There are counters to mark the units under the blitz command.
In conclusion, this is an intense game of strategy and realistic war gaming. My favorite part of these block games is the fog of war aspect. It is challenging, engaging and very enjoyable. There is a lot more to the game than I covered in this review – subtle details that would make this review entirely too long. It is a multi-faceted game with a lot of very cool options.
What blows me away the most is this is a $100 game. Although I may love the game, love WWII, and love to war game in that era, I am not entirely convinced I want to spend that kind of money on a two player game. I have struggled with the price of other games of this nature before but I think this crosses that line by going into the 3 digit range (with tax). I am sorry, I would have to draw the line.
For more details on Columbia Games and their new Board Game “Eastfront 2nd Ed.” check them out at their website http://www.columbiagames.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Eastfront 2nd Ed.
From: Columbia Games
Type of Game: Board Game
Game Design by: Craig Besinque, Tom Dalgliesh
Cover Art by: Eric Hotz
Number of Pages: 44
Game Components Included: 130 wooden blocks, Labels, 2 Mapboards (each 22.5 x 34 inches), 60 Die-Cut Markers, 2nd Ed. Rules 1.01, 4 Dice
Retail Price: $ 99.95 (US)
Number of Players: 2
Player Ages: 12+
Play Time: 4-6 hours
Item Number: 3405
Website: www.columbiagames.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung